Google and Samsung launched a new version of the Chromebook today.
Called the Chromebook Series 5 500, Google announced via blog that the new laptop is three times faster than the first generation Chromebook due to a new Intel core processor.
Chromebooks differ from conventional laptops not only at the software level but the hardware level as well.
First, it runs Google's self produced operating system, the Google Chrome OS, which is a totally different experience from Microsoft's Windows or Apple's Mac OS X. The Chromebook is cloud-based, meaning that it has a huge dependence on the internet. Everything you save on your comp is basically stored on Google's cloud servers. This means that if no internet connection is found in your premises, the laptop's operability will be severely crippled.
Google however addressed this problem in their announcement today, and informed that one of the main developments to the Series 5 500 was that it would allow users to run a vast array of files formats, including movies and music, even when offline. The complete list of formats the OS allowed to run could be found here.
Chromebooks have significantly less hard-drive capacity than conventional laptops since everything is stored on the cloud.
Like its predecessor, the Series 5 500's hard-drive capacity remains at 16 GB but is getting an upgrade on its RAM capacity from 2 to 4 GB. It will reportedly be powered by a 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Celeron 867 with a screen size of 12.1 inches or 30.7 centimeters.
The prices have gone up too. Last year's Wi-Fi version stood at $299.99 while the 3G version was $399.99. The Chromebook this year fares $499.99 for the Wi-Fi version and $549.99 for the 3G version.
Chromebooks are also known for lasting a long time, battery wise. 2011 Chromebooks were marketed with an attractive facet of being able to last a day on one single charge (meaning that the days of carrying your charger were over). This year, Google hasn't disclosed any details about this facet, but you may surely expect for something similar
Google boasts that the new Chromebook is not only faster and more powerful, but that it also has many more robust apps.
The company also announced that it has developed hundred of offline-capable web apps and taking advantage of that topic, it also mentioned that Google Docs would also be offline-capable. This means, that people will be able to work on their documents even when offline and seamlessly sync back upon reconnection.
With all that said, are these Google Chromebooks worth it at $500 or $550 bucks a piece?